Improvement in car-couplings



`or heads on their ends for NITED STATES IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 119,097, dated September 19, 1871.

y To all whom it may concern.'

`vertically through the center of the ends of two cars coupled together. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same parts shown in Fig. 1,- indicating one of the draw-heads turned so as to effect an uncoupling. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of one end of the, car showing the devices for turning a drawhead. Fig. 4 is an end view of a draw-head adjusted for allowing the head of a coupling-bar to escape from it. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the coupling-bar.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in thepseveral igures.

Our invention relates to improvements on that class of railroad-car couplers wherein rotary or `Oscillating draw-heads are employed, in conjunction with coupling-barswhich have enlargements engaging with the said draw-heads and automatically effecting a coupling when two cars are brought together.

The'following description of our invention will enable others skilled in the art to understand it. In the accompanying drawing, A A represent the end of the beds of two cars, the transverse buffer-beams of which are curved out centrally to receive two draw-heads, B B. These drawheads or buffers are supported and kept in place so that they are allowed to oscillate about their longitudinal axes by means of straps e e near their front ends, and cylindrical tenons or journals co on their rear ends, which latter are received finto the bolstersof the car-beds, as shown in Figs.

1, 2, and 3. The front portions of the draw-heads, which are embraced by the straps e, are cylindrical, and the interior of these portions are chambered soas to present outwardly-daring mouths a a, terminating in contracted elongated throats a', as shown in the drawing. At the rear termination of the quadrilateral throat of each draw-head B there is a passage, b, transversely through the head, the front end of which passage is flat and parallel to the front end of the drawhead. Each draw-head can be oscillated either from the platforms or from the sides of the car, the extent of oscillation being limited by a loaded lever, t, striking one or the other of the stops o o. These stops are so arranged that the oblong' throat a will either stand vertically or horizontally. When this throat is in a vertical position, shown in Fig. 4, the head of the coupling-bar J will not be arrested in the reeess Z, but when the draw-head is turned so that the throat is horizontal, as in Fig. 1, the head of the bar J will be arrested. The lever t, with its weight s, will allow the draw-head to be oscillated by a person on the platform of the car. For the purpose of allowing a person to oscillate the draw-head from either side of the car without going between two cars we employ the following contrivance: g represents a horizontal transverse bar, which is arranged over the rear portion of each draw-head and pivoted at its extremitles to two hand-levers,

d d. These levers are pivoted to the under sides of the sill-beams andl their handles are extended forward and outward to convenient points forv grasping. The bar g is connected to the drawhead by means of a rope or chain, h, which is passed once around the head, and its ends are attached to bar g, as shown in the drawing. A stop-bar, N, is pivoted to one of the levers, d, and its end turned down so as to enter the recess b through each draw-head. This bar N operates as a stop to the coupling-bar J to prevent it turning while thedraw-head is being oscillated for the purpose of adjusting it to a position for uncoupling the cars. This is a very important feature of the invention, as it enables the attendant to withdraw the arrow-heads om the draw-heads o l or separate the cars theinstant either of the drawheads is adjusted to the proper uncoupling position. For freight-cars the draw-heads may be oscillated from the top of these cars by means of a vertical rod operating on precisely the same principle as the bar g and chain h. The couplingbar J consists of a central thickened portion, which is loaded by a weight, W, and which terminates in two arrowheads, a n, the edges i fof which are beveled, as shown in Figs. l, 2, 4, and 5. The weight W will keep the arrow-heads in the positions shown in the drawing, so that when the draw-heads are 4so turned that the longest portions of their throats a are horizontal, as shown in Fig. l, the heads a will not be withdrawn from their draw-heads. The object of beveling the arrow heads is to make them couple with the draw-heads automatically when cars are brought together. By beveling the edges of the heads u they will impinge on the flaring interior surface of the draw-heads B and cause the bar J to turn suiiciently to allow the heads n to pass through the contracted throat a into the recesses b. To uncouple, one of the heads B is turned about one quarter around, so as to bring the longest diameter of the throat a in a vertical plane, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Instead of beveling the arrow-heads n u, the same eii'ect will .be produced by giving the interior surfaces of the draw-heads a spiral twist.

Te are aware that a revolving tube with an oblong opening through its end has been arranged within a stationary draw-head which has a ilaringmonth, such tube being capable of oscillating, and also being weighted so that it shall be kept in a given position. We are further aware that -a coupling-link with an arrow-head on each end is not new, therefore we do not claim such contrivances; but

Having described our invention, whatwe claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The oscillating coupling-bar J, made with arrow-heads on each end and loaded as described, in combination with the oscillating draw-heads B B, made with a flaring mouth, an oblong contracted throat, and a transverse passage or space, b, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The draw-head B made Witha larin g mouth, a, oblong-contracted throat a, and transverse space or passage b, in combination with the loaded lever t, stops o o, and loaded arrow-headed coupling-bar J, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The levers d d and bar g and the flexible attachment h, combined with the head B, and arranged substantially as described.

4:. The stop N for preventing the coupling-bar turning while the draw-head is being turned, substanti-ally as set forth.

JAMES TIMMS. WILLIAM P. BROWN.

Witnesses A. W. WALKER, ANDREW J. HART. 

